Ed Amberg says he has thought about retiring for quite some time, and his last day on the job will be Dec. 23. He has worked at the state mental illness institution for 30 years.

During his tenure, Amberg pushed for community-based care, which tries to help people with mental illnesses where they live instead of in an institution. He also oversaw the transition into a new $6 million hospital building, and he was instrumental in instituting new treatment programs.

The state Department of Public Health and Human Services has launched a national search for a new administrator for the hospital, which Amberg has noted houses some of the most difficult people in Montana. They include some who are admitted involuntarily and are a danger to themselves or others.